The Halfling
by Rogue-of-Blood-666
Summary: Sam and Dean are tracing a string of serial murders in Montana. They trace the source to a strange girl who is running from something from her past. When things turn out in an unexpected twist, will Sam and Dean be able to save her from the demons, or will she become the final victim? Rated T for gore, language, and other stuff. First story, reviews are welcome.
1. So get this

Sam and Dean Winchester were on the road again. They had been on the road for several days and Sam could only take so much of his brother's classic rock cassettes and constant steering wheel drum solos. He had convinced Dean to stop at a motel for a couple nights and was currently on his laptop looking for any leads for a hunt. He came across a news article that had been posted two days ago, and a quick skim granted all of the information he needed.

"Hey Dean," Sam said as he sat up from his rested position on the crappy motel bed. Dean looked up from the table where the assortment of large knives he had been sharpening now rested. He replied, "What is it, Sammy? Got any leads?"

Sam looked back at the article and read aloud, "'In 2013, several mysterious disappearances occurred in Butte, Montana. The victims were found several days after they went missing, all of them appearing as if they had been mutilated by some well-sized animal.'"

Dean went back to sharpening the knife he was holding, "And? Could just be a pack of wild dogs. Maybe a bear. Butte's near some large forest, right?"

"Yeah, but all of the victims were blonde girls between fifteen and seventeen years old. And after the first disappearance, the killings keep going north along this highway. It almost looks like whatever is causing these murders is chasing a particular person." Sam looked at the pictures of the victims, each of the girls smiling out from the screen with bright eyes.

Dean came over and looked at the images and the roadmap Sam had pulled up. "So what do you think? Some kind of angry spirit following a chick who matches the description? Picky werewolf? Whatever it is, it sure knows how to pick its targets." Sam rolled his eyes and shut the computer.

"Only one way to find out. If my guess is right, the next killing is going to be in Anaconda, Montana. Our best hope is to get there as soon as possible and find out what's doing this before the next murder happens." Sam packed up his things and helped his brother load up the car. Another job in the family business.


	2. Chance Meeting

Lilium Ximena looked into the school bathroom mirror at the face that stared back at her. She pushed her shoulder-length blonde hair out of her eyes and looked at the scrape on her cheek, left by another student's ring after he'd punched her. She sighed and let her hair fall back across her left eye, the eye that caused her so much trouble at school. She pulled her black hood up and her eyes down as she exited, hoping to get out of there before trouble found her again. She shut the door and headed towards the exit, keeping low. She got out and walked down the sidewalk through the dreary spring rain. Montana was always in some sort of dreary daze, whether it be the dull rain or the hazy heat or even the ice box snows that came with each season. After a few minutes of walking, she realized she wasn't alone. A side glance into the store windows across the street showed that several upperclassmen from her school were following her. She pulled her hood tighter around her and turned down a back alley. The boys followed her and soon picked up their pace. She broke out into a run with them pursuing her, weaving between small stores and leaping over trash bins, hoping to get to the woods that bordered the edge of town. She could see those woods now, just a quick sprint across Main Street and she could disappear down Sheep Gulch Road.

As she ran across the street, she turned to see the front end of an Impala speeding towards her. The boys had stopped dead in their tracks and were gawking at the unfolding scene. She ran forward and jumped in front of the car, hearing the screeching of tires over the shout from the driver.

Sam and Dean were driving down the main street of Anaconda, Montana. Sam was half asleep in the passenger seat and Dean was nodding his head to AC DC's Highway to Hell as he sped along. They were here on a hunch, but Dean trusted his brother's instincts when it came to leads on demon hunts. It was drizzling outside and he was charged with looking for a suitable motel for their stay. Sam stirred and sat up next to him as he scanned the streets for some cheap place to set up camp. Sam was suddenly wide awake and shouting Dean's name as a black figure ran towards the front of the car. He slammed his foot against the brake pedal and pulled on the emergency brake as the figure pitched forward and away from the grill. The Impala screeched to a halt and shuddered before groaning and settling. After the initial shock had worn off, he and Sam stepped out into the rain and jogged to the front of the Impala. Sam ran to the figure while Dean check on his baby. He was surprised to find nothing different from the last time he had checked, no dents, no scrapes, and no dings in the metal. He turned to look at Sam, who was knelt next to the figure on the ground, taking her pulse. She was about fourteen or fifteen if he had to guess, had shoulder-length blonde hair and pale skin, and seemed unharmed save for the scratch on her cheek. She wore knee-length denim pants, mid-calf leather boots, and a hooded jacket underneath a beaten, black leather vest. Sam rolled her onto her back and leaned his ear down to check her breathing as Dean walked to her other side and joined his brother on the ground. He heard the girl mumble something.

"What?" Sam asked as he leaned back slightly.

"Are they gone? The boys who were chasing me?" the girl asked, keeping her voice low as the rain pulled her hair out of her face. Dean looked back towards the way the girl had come running from and saw several boys running around the corner and out of sight.

"Yeah, they're gone," Sam said. The girl opened her eyes and looked up at them. Dean looked at her eyes in curiosity. One was a light silvery color like the moon, and the other was a golden orange hue that caused him to remember Azazel. She sat up and quickly replaced her hair over the golden eye before standing. Sam and Dean stood with her and Dean crossed his arms. The girl was relatively short, barely over five feet by his guess, but she stood with a kind of tensed pose like an animal being stalked.

Dean looked into her visible eye, "You mind telling me what the hell you were thinking with that whole stunt? You could've been killed if I hadn't stopped in time!" Sam tensed next to him, ready to step in if his anger got the better of him. The girl shifted and moved so she was holding one arm in a guilty manner.

"Anyone owning such an old car in such great condition obviously takes every precaution to keep their ride as perfect as possible. I knew you'd step on the brake, but I also jumped at an angle so it looked like I was hit and thrown forward while we both stayed safely out of harm's way. I," she paused, looking down at the ground, "I needed a way to get them to quit following me." Dean looked the girl over again, this time noticing the scars that were etched across her legs and the glimpses of scars under the cuff of her sleeves. She was also incredibly thin for her age, like a spindly Tim Burton character. He and Sam looked at each other and had a silent conversation.

Lilium stood holding her arm and looking between the two men in front of her. Besides the initial outburst from the shorter one, they didn't seem to be mad about her little stunt. While they had their little mind conversation, she got a chance to thoroughly look at them. The shorter one was still taller than her by a foot and a half at the least. He wore dark jeans, a beaten up leather vest and work boots. His hair was close cut and he had decent scruff on his jaw. The taller one was nearly two feet taller than her and had shaggy brown hair that went down to his chin. He wore a flannel shirt under a flak jacket with jeans and boots similar to his brother's. They turned back to her and the tall one spoke up.

"I guess we should introduce ourselves. I'm Sam, and this is Dean. We're Federal Agents investigating the recent serial murders that have happened around here," he said. Lilium bristled at the mention of the murders. She knew what was responsible, but no one would believe her. Sam continued talking, "We have reason to believe the next murder will happen here. Have you noticed anything strange lately? Noises, people, events?" Sam looked at her as she fidgeted. She had to lie. If she told him, bad things would happen and people would get hurt.

"No," she said blankly, looking at the ground. "I have to get home. My parents will get worried."

"Maybe we could give you a ride?" Dean said, motioning towards the Impala. "Least we could do."

"No, no I've troubled you enough as it is," Lilium said as she finished crossing the road and headed towards Sheep Gulch Road. "Bye!" she waved as she ran off into the rain.

Dean looked after the disappearing figure. She obviously knew something about the murders but wasn't letting on. Sam sighed as they got back into the car.

"So what do you think? Suspect or victim?" Dean said as he started up the car and drove around the corner away from where she had run off to. Sam shook his head.

"I don't know. She fits the profile of all of the other victims, but from what we've gathered they all were completely unrelated besides from looks." He stared out the window.

"Well what about that freaky eye she had?" Dean stated. "Certainly wasn't any contact lens. Doesn't it remind you of someone?"

"Yeah, I know but," Sam trailed off, biting his nail as he thought. "She seemed to be hiding something. Something was off about how she acted." Dean pulled the car into the parking lot of a cheap ass motel near the edge of town. He killed the engine and sat back in his seat.

"Well, lucky for us her boyfriends were wearing school jackets. We'll check out the school tomorrow and see if anyone knows anything about her. One thing's for sure though," he opened the door and stepped out into the drizzle. "She's either really popular or really sassy to have that many people after her."


	3. Demonic Happenings

Lilium walked into school that Friday hoping to make it a quick day and get on to her weekend. She made it through her first couple of classes without hassle and sat alone during lunch. She didn't eat anything, just watched the people around her as they came and went, occasionally gazing out the window at the rain soaked afternoon. She notice a couple of men enter the cafeteria. They wore suits and looked like agents of some kind of police force. She moved lower in her seat when she realized that they were the men she met yesterday on Main Street, Sam and Dean. She grabbed her satchel and slung it over her shoulder as she left. The last thing she needed was to be questioned by some suspicious police officers in the middle of the school day.

Sam and Dean walked into the cafeteria and scanned the crowds of teenagers. Sam could pick out the usual groups like the sportsmen, the cheerleaders, the academics, and the popular kids. Dean was chatting with a woman trying to find the group they were looking for. The supervisor was blushing and Dean was laying his "charm" on real thick. Sam rolled his eyes and scanned the crowd again, this time finding the boys they had seen yesterday. He grabbed his brother's shoulder and nodded towards the boys. Dean said something to the supervisor before following Sam to the table.

Sam cleared his throat before speaking, "Are you boys Jonathan McKarter, Joel Hatfield and Christian June?" The boys looked at them before one, a red-headed boy wearing a ring on his right hand stood and offered Sam a hand to shake. "Yeah, I'm Jon. Is something wrong officers?"

"We just wanted to ask you a few questions about some events that happened nearby," Dean said. "Maybe we could step into the hallway?" The boys all nodded and stood. A few minutes later they were out in the empty hallways. Dean spoke again, "Don't suppose you've heard about the serial murders around in this area?"

Christian, who had his hair spiked forward, spoke up. "We were told that the murders were just some pack of dogs that got loose in the National Park nearby."

"Don't you find it odd that all of the victims were blonde girls around the same age?" Sam asked. Now Joel spoke, "Yeah, but police just dismissed it as an odd coincidence."

Dean nodded his head before asking, "Have you noticed anything strange happening lately? Noises, electrical problems, people?" The boys shifted nervously before Jon spoke.

"Well, there's this one girl who matches your description. She's only been here for a few weeks, but she freaks the hell out of a lot of people. She's real quiet, doesn't have any friends, and she's got this," he paused for a moment. "She always has this aura about her. It's like she's surrounded by a constant pressure, and she's always around when bad things happen." Sam and Dean looked at each other before Sam spoke up. "What kind of strange things?"

Joel piped up, "In our Biology class, the lights are constantly blinking on and off and it always stinks in there. Our class is the only one that experiences it. And in the Art class Chris and I share with her, thing constantly fall off the shelves or go flying across the room for no apparent reason." Sam and Dean shared another look.

"Can you give us a name?" Dean asked, pulling a pen and pad of paper out. Jon sighed, "Her last name's Ximena, I know that for sure. I don't remember her first name though. Sorry." Dean jotted the name down while Sam asked, "Any distinguishing features? Something that might help us point her out?" Joel stepped forward and said, "Her eyes. They're different colors. One's kind of silver-purple or something, and I think the other one's hazel or gold. She always keeps it covered and closes it when her hair is out of her face, so I've only caught glimpses. One thing's for sure, it isn't natural." With that the boys went back to their lunch. Sam turned to Dean as they loitered for a moment.

"Dean, you don't think that it's the same girl as yesterday?" he asked, thinking about the teen they had almost run over. Dean said, "Nah, it can't be. Must be some other blonde girl with an orange eye. C'mon Sammy, that girl was suspicious enough to begin with but now we know she connected to this somehow." Dean rubbed his chin as he thought. The bell rang and soon the halls were filled with highschoolers on their way to their next class. The two moved outside and into the parking lot, where they sat in the Impala to wait out the end of the school day.

Lilium sat in her art class in the corner by the window, drawing a demon from her nightmares in her sketchbook. She felt a presence in front of her and looked up, seeing Joel and Christian posing in front of her with their arms crossed. Christian stepped up to the edge of her desk and put a hand on the middle of her sketchbook.

"A couple of cops were asking about you earlier during lunch. Mind telling us why?" he said, leaning forward so her was a few inches above her head. She continued staring at her sketchbook, wanting this confrontation to be over with. Chris said a few more things about how she probably couldn't talk, was probably wanted by the FBI, and how she shouldn't be living anyway. She just sat there and took the insults. He was probably right about she shouldn't be alive. If what Sam and Dean had said was true, she was the cause of several deaths. Suddenly, Chris grabbed her sketchbook and began tearing out several of the pictures. She jumped up from her seat and glared at him. Joel cringed back and Chris stared at her while the rest of the class began to form a group around the whole scene.

"What? You love your precious drawings more than yourself? You really are pathetic!" Chris said as he threw the tattered book to the ground and held the pictures up next to his head. Lilium felt something well up inside of her with her anger, but she forced it back down and calmly held out her hand.

"Give. Them. Back," she said, glaring Chris down while keeping the power inside of her at bay.

"Oh, so little miss outcast can talk. What a surprise. I think I'll just hold onto these if you don't mind," Chris said as he began to tuck them into his jacket. That's when Lilium lost it. She ran at Chris and threw a punch, but he dodged it and she fell forward onto her stomach at his feet. She tried to stand again, but he pressed his foot against her back, holding her to the floor. The student around them were laughing as Chris pushed down, pressing her to the floor. Joel grabbed his arm, but was pushed off by Chris who was enjoying his moment of glory. Lilium could feel the power about to burst from her, and she tried desperately to keep it in. As a final act of glory, Chris let her go, only to kick her in the stomach as she attempted to stand. Then she snapped. It was as if a fog had clouded her mind. She staggered to her feet and swayed before turning back to Chris, glaring him down hard enough to make the class stop their laughing and cause Chris to step back. She lifted a hand and splayed her fingers towards him, and he went flying into the wall behind him, sending students and papers scattering everywhere. The air around her grew warm as a dark fog seeped from her and the pencils and pallet knives trembled on their shelves before floating behind her. Everyone moved out of the way as the objects turned towards Chris, who was still pressed against the wall by some unseen force. He stared in horror, choking from the pressure and entranced by Lilium's now glowing orange eye. He felt as if he were looking into the eyes of a demon. The pencils and palate knives flew at him like bullets, missing his limbs and head by inches as they imbedded themselves into the concrete. Suddenly, the force holding Chris disappeared and he fell onto his knees, gasping. Lilium swayed for a moment and held her head, suddenly aware of the sharp pain behind her eye. The pain faded with the black fog, and she looked around at the room, realizing what she had done. All of the students looked at her with identical masks of terror and she backed away from them before turning and bolting out of the room and down the hall and into the downpour outside. She ran as hard as she could until she reached the edge of the woods on Sheep Gulch road. Then, she jogged until she was well out of sight from the road and fell to her knees underneath a large tree with her head in her hands. She began to cry, silent tears running between her fingers until they fell and mixed with the rain in puddles that formed at her knees. A set of heavy footsteps approached her and she was soon encased in a warm embrace. She hugged the figure in front of her, burying her face in the crook of his neck as his strong arms wrapped tighter around her and his soft voice calmed her. She pulled back to look at him, her only friend, and he smiled.

He was somewhat tanned and had messy brown hair that curled near the ends. He had a clean jaw and a warm smile that paired with his golden-orange demon eyes. He was well-built and wearing a plain, olive green t-shirt and denim pants with hiking boots. He wiped away a final tear and helped her up from the ground.

"It's alright," he said, placing an arm across her shoulders and guiding her deeper into the woods. "You can't have perfect control all the time. It took me awhile to understand it all."

"But it was worse this time," Lilium said, leaning into him. "I almost killed someone." They continued to walk, unaware of the two hunters following them.


	4. Encounter

Dean watched as Lilium ran into the woods. He and Sam had followed her in the Impala after she'd run out of the school building. Now, they grabbed their shotguns and headed into the forest as the grey skies began to darken with the approaching thunderstorm. They crept forward until they could see her on her knees, crying under a large tree. Sam started to approach her, but Dean grabbed his shoulder, pointing at the figure stepping through the trees. The man knelt in front of her and they hugged for a while, obviously familiar with each other. The man helped her up and they began walking deeper into the woods, unaware that Sam and Dean were following and listening.

"But, it was worse this time. I almost killed someone," Lilium said as they continued walking.

"It was an accident. I'm sure you didn't mean to do it. You were scared, angry, and your instincts took over. I told you things like this would happen," the man said. They continued back and forth for a while.

"I know, but I've been so much better lately. I guess I let my guard down."

"Hey, don't be going and blaming yourself for that boy's terrible actions. I personally think he deserved it."

"Yeah, but where will I go to school now? I certainly can't go back there!"

"Homeschooling? I can teach you everything you need to know to get by in life. Even a few things that can't be taught through schooling."

"Denzel, we talked about this. I have to get a high school education at the least. Just enough to get a well-paying job so we can get by. I can't be a thief my whole life!"

They continued on until they came to a ragged part of town. Dean recognized it as one of the shitty motels they passed on their way in. He and Sam held back at the tree line while Lilium and Denzel opened one of the doors and entered. Sam looked at him for a moment.

"Well," he said, "at least we know for certain she's involved. But who was that Denzel guy? He wasn't at the school and we didn't see anyone else leave after she ran out."

Dean rubbed a hand through his hair. "I don't know Sammy, but something happened in that school. We'll have to ask around and see if those boys we talked to earlier know anything." They trudged back through the woods until they found Sheep Gulch again, getting into the Impala just in time to escape the worst of the rain as they drove back into town.

The next day, Dean was out and about in town looking for one of the kids he and Sam had talked to the day before. Sam was doing his bookworm thing at the town library. Dean saw Joel walking down the sidewalk and pulled over. He got out and waved the kid over to a place underneath a café overhanging. It had begun to rain again and the steady drizzle became the main background ambience.

"Hey, I heard some weird shit happened after we left yesterday. You wouldn't happen to know any details would you?" he asked. Joel shifted from foot to foot before nodding. Dean gestured to a seat and they sat down across from each other.

"Chris and I were in art class, and he was joking around with Lilium," he started.

"I thought you guys hated her. Why would he be joking around with her?" Dean stated. Joel rubbed the back of his neck and leaned forward on his free elbow. "He was picking on her, calling her names, just some little stuff to try and get a response from her," Joel admitted. "He took her sketchbook and tore out a few of the pages. She got mad and told him to give them back, but he refused. Then she went at him, tried to punch him, but fell. He humiliated her by holding her on the ground with his foot. He eventually let her get up, but got violent. Then she," he stopped and shook his head. Dean waited a few moments for him to continue. "She what?"

"She… changed. It was as if a switch was flipped. Her left eye glowed orange and she was surrounded by this thick, black fog. She held out her hand and Chris went flying into the wall. She almost killed him," Joel shook his head again as if he couldn't believe it. "She ran out after that. I kinda felt bad for her. She's a nice person, but she'll never be able to walk into school after that incident."

After a few parting words, Dean headed back to the library to pick Sam up. As they drove back to the motel, Dean asked, "So, did you find anything?"

Sam rubbed his eyes. "Nothing. No history of demonic signs, no possible spirits, and no one matching the name Denzel or Lilium in town records for the entire state of Montana, besides her recent enrollment at the high school." Dean looked over at his brother. "Alright, and after the story our friend Joel told me, it's almost certain that Lilium is dealing with her own demons. So what do you think?"

"My guess is she either made a deal or summoned a demon. I just don't see why," Sam stated as they pulled into the parking lot.

"Well, I think it's about time we go look for our answer. If you ask me, this whole job has been way too legal."

Lilium was asleep on the bed closest to the window when Denzel got home. He sighed and draped his soaked jacket across the shitty sofa in their rented motel room. He looked from the kitchenette to the front door and back to Lilium. She really deserved better than this. He felt kind of bad for being the one responsible that she was even in this situation. He rolled onto the empty bed and laid the back of his hand across his forehead. He closed his eyes and felt himself returning to that night, almost a year ago.

_He was bleeding from the wounds on his arms and shoulders, his clothes smothered in sulfur and blood. Around him was the bodies of the two people who had summoned him, a young couple who had met a terrible fate. He looked at their wounds, deep slash marks left by the claws of the demons who were hunting them. He could see the scars that brought their demise, an elongated triangle on their left shoulder pointing down, the mark left on them by a curse. The woman shuddered and coughed, and he lifted her so she was leaning back against his arm. She looked at him and whispered hoarsely, "Turn her, then… keep her safe… Denzel." With that she shuddered and died in his arms. He set her down, she who had given him a name and a purpose. He looked up at the second floor where a piercing shriek ripped the air._

Denzel was startled awake from his dream. The room was dark and he was covered with the bed sheets. He felt something shift beside him and looked down to see Lilium sleeping next to him. He sighed and closed his eyes, listening for what had woken him up. He could hear it now, a light clicking sound that came with picking a lock. He shook Lilium's shoulder and she started awake. He pressed a finger to his lips then motioned towards the door. She nodded and pointed to the closet as she got up and grabbed a small pistol from the drawer in the bedside table. He went and hid in the closet while she took aim at the door. He knew she could handle herself and it wasn't like he wanted to hide, but if someone saw him then they'd have to leave again. The lock clicked as the final tumblers were set and the door opened. Two men were greeted with a gun barrel as they entered. They both quickly raised their hands in surrender as Lilium went and flipped on the lights.

"Sam? Dean?" she exclaimed, lowering the gun slightly. The shorter one, Dean he assumed, spoke up. "Well it ain't Mike and Ike." She put the gun down with a huff and turned on them with her arms crossed. "What the hell are you two doing here? You're lucky I'm good with faces or yours would be plastered across the door frame!"

"We came to check up on you," Sam said, lowering his hands to his sides while Dean scanned the room. "We knocked, but you didn't answer so we assumed the worst."

"And how do you know where I live?" she asked. Dean spoke up now. "Couple of friends from school told us."

"I don't have friends," she replied blankly, staring them down. Sam stepped forward. "Listen, we know what happened at school the other day," he said. The only indication she gave was the slight tensing of her shoulders. Sam continued speaking, "We just wanted to talk to you." She sighed and stood there for a moment.

"Go ahead and come on in," she said finally, waving her hand as she took a seat on the bed. They came in and looked around a bit. Sam leaned against a wall as Dean wandered the room. "So, what happened? At the school?" Sam asked.

"Christian stole my sketchbook and I got mad. Nothing out of the ordinary," she replied coolly. Dean piped up from the kitchen, "Yeah, if you don't count the whole pinning him against a wall and nearly stabbing him with art supplies without touching either bit."

"I don't know what happened. I just… lost control," she said, looking at the both of them. She looked at Dean for a while as he rummaged through the cabinets. He caught her staring and grinned, "Take a picture, I'll even autograph it for you."

"If you're looking for food, I don't have any," she said. Denzel watched as Dean pulled the container of salt out and slipped it into his pocket. "Nah, just looking," he replied as he closed the doors and nodded at Sam. Then he moved over to the window across the room and looked outside. Sam kept talking, "Lilium, have you experienced any other strange things lately? Headaches, hearing things, strange dreams?"

She laughed, "You guys are too thorough for federal agents." Dean shrugged. She sighed, "No, I'm in perfect physical and mental health. Can I go back to bed now?" They started to leave when Dean pointed out Denzel's coat draped over the back of the couch. "Nice jacket. Isn't it kinda big for a girl your size?" Denzel froze, sensing Lilium's discomfort. _Make something up! Lie!_

"I-it's my dad's," she said, lacing pain and loss into her words, "It's all I have left of him. He's…"

Sam gave Dean a look and turned to Lilium, "I'm sorry, we shouldn't have asked."

"It's alright, I barely remember him. I just keep it around," she replied, looking down. They just nodded and left without another word. She jumped up and checked the window, watching as the pair drove off. Then she went to the closet and threw open the doors. As she did Denzel threw his arms open like a grandfather ready to embrace his grandchildren. "Daddy's home~!" he declared, swooping her up into a hug.

"Shut up, I had to lie!" she exclaimed, pushing away from him as he set her down. She fell back on the bed and closed her eyes. "It was either that or I said it was my boyfriend's, and that'd be creepy."

"Why would it be creepy?" he asked as he turned the main light off and laid down next to her. "I like it better than Dad. Dad makes me feel old!"

She laughed, "Oh really? You never did tell me how old you were."

"Oh I dunno, I lose track," he said as he rolled onto his back and closed his eyes. "Twelve hundred and something unless I'm lying." She rolled her eyes and turned out the lights and soon they were both asleep next to each other, like twins sharing a bed as the thunder rolled outside.


	5. Attack

"I just don't get it!" Sam exclaimed as they returned to their motel room. "She's definitely the source of the demonic powers but she can't be responsible for the murders. She has no friends, no family contacts, and no way of getting from city to city yet she is able to enroll in public school without drawing unneeded attention." Dean settled himself onto the furthest mattress and shrugged.

"I dunno Sam, quit worrying so much about it," Dean said as he flipped on the TV. "We'll go scope her place out for a few nights and if nothing changes, we start back at square one." Sam sat on the other bed and sighed.

"Fine, but I have a feeling this goes deeper than she's letting on," he said as he rolled over to try and get some rest before their stake out.

Lilium sat up quickly, gripping the sheets. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and looked at the clock, which read 11:35 PM. She looked around the room and noticed that Denzel was missing.

"Den?" she called out, pulling her boots on and zipping up her jacket. She pulled up her jeans as she stood, looking for her friend. She checked the bathroom and managed to locate a hair tie in the dark. She pulled her hair back and turned to exit the room when Denzel appeared, wide-eyed and disheveled.

"Lilium, we need to go. Pack up," he said quickly, hustling her out of the bathroom and peering through the blinds covering the windows.

"Den, slow down! What's wrong?" she asked as she grabbed her bag and stuffed her few clothes into it.

"They're here!" he whispered frantically, packing his few belongings and grabbing the pistol from the nightstand. "They found us again!" Lilium immediately worked twenty times faster, shoving the necessities into her back pack and pulling on her vest whilst tossing Denzel his jacket. She met him at the front door and with a nod went out into the night, making for the woods.

Dean watched as their feisty friend and her apparent boy-toy left their motel room. He punched Sam in the arm and nodded towards the pair, grabbing his sawed off shotgun and the usual pack as he stepped out of the car. Sam followed suit and they were soon tailing the two figures into the woods. They followed them easily for about a mile, then stopped short. Sam turned to look at Dean as the rustling of quick, pursuing steps darted forward on their left.

"Did you hear that? What was it?" Sam asked. Dean just shook his head and trudged forward. "I don't think we're the only ones hunting these two."

The pair had been running for about three miles through thick woodland, following deer trails and hiking paths. Lilium was becoming short-breathed, but Denzel had to keep her moving. If they stopped before they reached their safe house then they would surely be caught. He held her wrist as they jogged over a rocky path that bordered the edge of a steep drop. A sudden jerk from behind him and her wrist disappeared, and he was left to looking down as she rolled down the hill. She came to a stop on a ledge ten feet below him and was soon stumbling to her feet. She looked up at him and nodded, signaling she was alright. Rocks shifted to his left and he looked back at where they had come from. The coldest depth of Hell itself couldn't compete with the freezing dread that clenched him at the sight of the creature behind them. It had a large, bass-like mouth lined with many rows of tiny pointed teeth and a large forehead without eyes or a nose. Gill-like ridges lined either side of its head, which sat on top of a spindly neck. Its body looked like and emaciated person had learned to walk on all fours and each of its feet ended in four long, black claws at least half a foot long, and it had a whip-like tail that lashed around to keep its scrawny body balanced as it prowled closer, its claws clicking against the rough stones. It hissed at him, a sound comparable to an alligator's hiss, and several others appeared behind it, creeping closer and closer. Two of them jumped down to the ledge and began stalking closer to Lilium, who was slowly backing away.

"Lilium! Run!" Denzel shouted, turning on his heel and running away from the monstrosities, seeing Lilium follow as well. The beasts gave out a piercing cry that scratched against his nerves. They sprinted on, somehow rejoining where their trails joined, and desperately tried to out run their pursuers. After a couple of minutes, Lilium began to falter. She began stumbling and falling behind and Denzel had to slow down to ensure she wouldn't be caught. One of the creatures let out another ear-shredding cry and jumped on his back, pitching him forward onto the ground. Lilium stumbled and soon tripped ahead of him. He rolled onto his back and managed to kick the beast off of him, but he couldn't help her. Two of them had managed to pull her up a tree and now held her there by her wrists. They clicked and hissed as she struggled weakly, dragging the tips of their claws roughly against her sides and legs. He could only watch as she scream in pain, her pale blue shirt becoming black with the blood that seeped from her wounds. One bit her on her forearm, sending a piercing shriek out into the night. A sudden shout came from behind him, "Hey ugly! Back off!"

Dean took aim at the demon biting Lilium and fired, sending an iron bullet through its over-sized head. Sam took a shot at another and ran forward so he was standing underneath Lilium. Dean fired another shot and hit the one holding her wrists. It let go and she fell towards Sam, who caught her and set her against the tree. The demons screeched at them before turning tail and disappearing into the forest. Dean now trained his gun on the guy standing in front of him.

"You have about ten seconds to explain what the hell those were and who the hell you are," he said, keeping the gun aimed at the man's head. The guy raised his hands in surrender and started speaking fast. "My name's Denzel, I'm supposed to protect her and we need to hurry to the safe house. She got bit and needs medical attention." Sam looked at Dean and nodded. Dean sighed, "Well? What are we waiting for then?" Denzel quickly ran forward and scooped up Lilium's bag before approaching Sam. Sam hoisted her up and cradled her like a child before saying, "I've got her. Lead the way." Denzel took off, Sam and Dean following behind. They jogged for several minutes before happening upon a log cabin. Denzel ran to the front door and unlocked it, holding the door open as they passed through. He nodded towards a couch and ran off down a hall. Sam set Lilium down on the couch and began to pull her clothes up. Even Dean had to look away from the wounds. She had many minor cuts on her arms and legs, but the marks on her stomach and forearm were the worst. On her stomach were three parallel gashes that were a foot long each and very deep, the top one going deep enough to reveal her lowest rib. On her arm, the bite mark was ripped and jagged, and the surrounding area was turning startling shades of yellow, green, and purple. Denzel ran back in holding a first aid kit,

"I'll get her arm, you guys focus on her stomach," he said, pulling a medicine vial and a syringe out along with gauze and bandages. He began extracting a strange red liquid from the medicine vial.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Dean said stepping in between him and Lilium. "Just what the hell is that?!"

"It's an anti-venom. She needs it to counteract the poison in the bite wound," he explained as he stepped around Dean. Lilium jumped and hissed in pain as San tried to clean her wounds. Denzel went and injected the anti-venom before holding her hand and wiping the sweat off of her forehead. "Lilium? Can you hear me?" He asked as he leaned over her.

"Den," she cried out as Sam continued applying alcohol. "It hurts!"

"I know, Lili. Just hang in there for a few minutes and I promise it'll stop," he reassured her. He looked at Dean. "I need you to help her. Just keep her calm," he said, then grabbed a needle and thread to stitch her arm shut. She cried out again as Sam began to stitch her stomach shut and Dean rushed to kneel next to her. He grabbed her free hand and placed a hand on her forehead, feeling her burning fever.

"I-it's alright, kiddo. You're gonna be fine," he said as he gripped her hand. She clenched it tight and he was sure he felt something pop. The whole ordeal lasted several minutes before she was sewn up, then came the more difficult task of binding her stomach, which required shifting her into an upright position. After all was said and done, she fell asleep on the bloodied couch with an ice pack on her forehead and a blanket draped over her. Dean and Denzel moved into the kitchen, leaving Sam to watch Lilium and keep an eye out for anymore demons. Den sat in an empty chair and leaned onto his elbows, and Dean took a seat across from him. Dean scanned the guy in front of him.

"I'm assuming you're a demon?" he finally asked, breaking the heavy silence. Denzel looked up at him and nodded. Dean leaned towards him and placed his clasped hands in front of him on the table. "And Lilium?"

Denzel shifted slightly before answering, "She's a special case, kinda like your brother. She was turned into a demon, a special dying wish from someone close to me. It's…," he paused and rubbed his eyes. "It's a really long story." Dean leaned back in his chair.

"Then start from the beginning."

Hey, this is Author-chan speaking! So we finally get to learn about Lilium's past and how she and Denzel are related! Can't wait to upload the next chapter, so keep reading and be sure to check out MishaWinchester on this site! X3


	6. Remember

Hello viewers! I just wanted to apologize for any confusion caused by the sudden POV changes between paragraphs and for failing to update the series yesterday. Word 2013 doesn't play nice with the uploading software on this site. Also, in my defense I've added at least two chapters for each day that the series was online, so that should make up for the lack of updates. Again, sorry for any confusion and I hope you enjoy the story! X3

_The demon opened his eyes as the summoning spell was completed. The flames around him died down and the young couple who brought him there looked up at him, desperation showing in their worn faces. The man was in his early twenties but looked to be about thirty five, with cropped blonde hair and a stern face that framed blue eyes filled with worry. The woman was slightly younger than her husband and looked more her age, pale unblemished skin made up her soft face and her eyes were the color of the purest red roses. Her hair was long and dark. The home they were in looked abandoned, and the foyer they stood in now had been cleared out for the ritual that had brought him there. Blue candles and sapphires were laid out in a circle around him and the strong scents of ginger and rosemary filled the room and clung to his modest robe. There was heavy scratching at the doors and windows, which were heavily lined with salt. The woman stood before him, her voice strong, but shaky._

"_We, Ranger and Rose Nyx, have brought you here for one purpose," she stated, reading from an ancient, leather bound book. "We ask you grant us two requests in exchange for our only child, Lilium." The demon looked from her to her husband. Such a young couple offering their only child was uncommon, but not exactly out of bounds. He stepped towards the woman, Rose, out of the summoning circle, and placed his left hand over his heart. _

"_I am indebted to you for freeing me," he said, leaning forward slightly. "Give me a name and I shall fulfill your requests." He waited as the couple stood. Giving a demon a name was a way to grant them power, though most already had names. If they were to bestow him with a name, he would have as much power to wreak havoc for millennia. However, it would be limited until he fulfilled their requests as he had promised. A sudden crash from the adjacent room caused the man, Ranger, to shout whilst grabbing a revolver from his back pocket. He ran out, only to be thrown back in by the creatures that had broken through the wall from the outside. An alligator-like hiss and clicking noises accompanied the entrance of several long-limbed creatures. The demon stepped in front of Rose, hoping to protect her long enough so he could grant her wishes. The creatures lashed out, their claws catching the edges of his robe. He and Rose jumped back and Ranger took aim, firing an iron bullet into one of the creature's shoulders. Another jumped onto him, biting his throat and tearing it then leaving him gasping and staggering before he fell face first onto the ground, his body twitching as his blood stained the wooden floorboards dark in the candlelight. Rose screamed as two other demons jumped on Ranger's corpse, tearing him open and exposing flesh and bone beneath his skin. Another two jumped at Rose and him, and he protected her with himself, earning several large scratches across his back and shoulders. The demons hissed and jeered at him as he turned to face them, keeping himself between them and Rose. She suddenly disappeared from behind him and he turned, finding another person holding onto her arm. This man was unnaturally pale, even for a demon, and had long black hair that was tied back with a piece of red string. He wore all black, a trench coat and dress pants dominating the entire ensemble. His eyes were empty voids of darkness and he chuckled in an equally deep voice._

"_Well, well, well, looks like the Rose of the Night has tried to evade her curse, but not this time," he said, tightening his grip on her shoulder. "You know this nameless fool can't help you! The Curse of the Night may have been you and your husband's namesake for the last seven years, but now it will be your end." He threw her at the other demons, smiling smugly as she was ripped to shreds screaming. The unnamed demon yelled in rage and threw himself at the man, only to be thrown against the wall and held there by his throat. He was soon dropped and left gasping as the man made his way up a staircase, followed by his minions who left Rose unconscious on the floor next to her husband. The unnamed demon got to his knees, finding sulfur and blood smothered all over him. He looked at the couple, torn to shreds. He could now see identical scars on their left shoulders, the upside down elongated triangle. Rose shuddered and coughed, and he lifted her gingerly so she was leaning against his arm. _

_She looked at him and whispered hoarsely, "Turn her, then… keep her safe… Keep Lilium safe, Denzel." With that she shuddered and died in his arms. He set her down, she who had given him a name and a purpose. He looked up at the second floor where a piercing shriek ripped the air and was on his feet in a second, feeling his granted power and anger fueling him. He sprinted up the stairs and down the hall into a small bedroom where he found the mysterious man holding a small, blonde girl against the wall by her throat. Several of his minions turned and hissed before launching themselves at him. He quickly grabbed an iron blade resting on the shelf and lashed out, slashing them with all of his might. They were soon sent hissing out of the room, disappearing into black fog. Denzel launched himself forward again, this time plunging the knife into the man's back. The man cried out in pain then turned to glare at him. He dropped the girl, who crawled away somewhere, and pulled the knife out of his back. He stared Denzel down and dropped the blade. Then he calmly composed himself and straightened his coat._

"_It looks like that bitch gave you a name. Well, I guess that means one of her demands was to protect her filthy daughter then, was it? Oh well, you can try to keep her safe, but she is only a mere human. It won't take long for my pets to find her scent and track her down. Until then," he grinned wickedly. "I'll be watching." He dissipated into a black fog that cleared within seconds. Denzel took a moment to find his breath and ensure it was safe. He remembered the girl, Lilium, and began searching, soon finding her in a tiny crawlspace that was just big enough for her to sit in the fetal position about four feet into the wall. She was trembling and had several scratches and bruises on her arms and legs. She had her face hidden behind her knees._

"_It's alright," Denzel said, looking into the space, "He's gone. I promise."_

"_How do I know you're not lying?" she asked in a quivering voice. He realized it wouldn't be an easy task getting her to come out._

"_If I was lying, I'd give you some signal so you'd know it wasn't safe," he tried. She looked up at him, staring with eyes that looked like two silver moons peering out from the darkness. "Like what?"_

"_Well," he thought, "Probably some kind of code word. Like if I called you 'Girlie', you'd know it wasn't safe yet." He smiled._

"_Girlie?" she asked. "Yeah," he replied. "Why not?" She let a tiny giggle out then began to slowly crawl out. Once she was out, he knelt in front of her and brushed the dust out of her hair. Now he could see a large bruise forming where that man had held her by her neck and a large, horizontal cut running across her left palm. It was fairly deep and still bleeding._

"_What happened?" he asked, pointing at the cut. She looked at it and cringed._

"_That man did it," she said. "He used a black knife and cut his palm too." She looked up at him. "That man was a demon! He was trying to turn me into one too! He was going to make me bad!" Tears welled up into her eyes and Denzel quickly shushed her._

"_Hey now, it's alright," he said, patting her head. "He's gone, and I promise I'm going to protect you. There's just one little thing I need to do first, alright?" She looked at him as he took the knife he had used to stab the man and made a vertical slice on his left palm. She became wary and held her hands close to her chest._

"_Are you gonna make me bad too?" she asked fearfully as Denzel lined up the cuts and gently clasped her hand._

"_No, I'm one of the good guys. I promise."_


	7. Kidnapped

Dean stared at the demon in front of him, taking in the story he was just told. He'd heard of people summoning demons and offering loved ones souls instead of their own, but the events that Denzel had described was a ritual that Dean had no knowledge of. Denzel sighed and rubbed his eyes before finishing his story.

"So, after I had turned Lilium into what she is now, we gave her parents a proper burial and left. We kept moving north west until we thought we were okay, but he just kept coming back, sending his minions after us," he said, looking tired and defeated. Dean stood and paced before speaking.

"Her parents summon an unnamed demon and offer their only daughter in exchange for her protection from another demon. A fail safe insurance," he stated, glancing at Lilium and Sam as he passed by the doorway. Sam was on his laptop, no doubt searching for leads on how to kill the evil sons of bitches they had met tonight. Lilium was sleeping restlessly on the couch, her hands and face occasionally twitching. He turned back to Denzel. "So what happens when this other demon is killed?"

Denzel shrugged, "I honestly haven't thought about it. We've been running for nearly a year now, and all we have is each other, so I might not even take her soul. Besides, her parents asked me to protect her. That means that even if that demon somehow stopped existing, I'd still be in charge of her. She needs me, and," he paused to look down at his hands. "And I need her." Dean leaned against the doorframe, fully understanding the demon's sentiments to a younger sibling-like figure.

"There's one more thing I don't understand," he began, looking back at Denzel. "Her parent's last names were Nyx and her last name's Ximena. Where'd that come into play?"

Denzel chuckled, "We needed a different name to go by, but she wouldn't settle for something simple. Nyx was commonly known in the demon world, even I had heard of it a few times, so anything under that name was sure to draw attention. She picked it and I didn't feel like arguing." After a few minutes of silence, Denzel stood and made his way back to the living room. He said a few words to Sam before sitting down and leaning against the arm of the couch next to Lilium's head, reaching up to hold her hand. Sam got up and walked over to Dean.

"He said there's a spare bedroom and bathroom upstairs we can use. He's staying with her," he said. Dean nodded and pushed himself off the wall. The two made their way upstairs to the empty bedroom, noting the large amounts of salt lining all of the external doors and windows. They found the room and settled in for a short night's sleep as the sun peeked over the horizon in the distant forest.

…

Lilium awoke with a pounding headache. Every muscle in her legs was sore and her stomach and left arm were burning. She opened her eyes and stared blankly ahead for a few minutes, willing the pain to subside and her vision to clear. As soon as it did, she moved to sit upright, earning a slice of pain to rip across her stomach and shoulders. She bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut, taking deep breathes to try and ease her burning muscles. She tried again, moving slowly until she was reclined against the armrest of the couch she was on. A quick scan of the room ensured her she was at the safe house her and Denzel had picked in case they were found. She heard a sigh and turned to look down by the couch, finding Denzel leaning against it, asleep. She couldn't help but smile. She carefully moved her legs until her feet rested on the cool wood floor. Easing onto her feet, she turned to grab the blanket that had covered her and draped it over his shoulders before moving down the main hall to the bathroom. She closed the door and looked at herself in the full length mirror. She had been left in her sports bra and denim shorts, exposing her stomach and shoulders more than what was desired. Her stomach was covered in bandages that were tainted red just beneath her ribs. Her left arm was bandaged up to the elbow and there was a needle mark on her upper arm. She moved to rummage around underneath the sink and found a shirt she had left the last time they were here. After putting it on and pulling her hair back, she walked to the kitchen and began making breakfast for four.

…

Sam sat up and rubbed his eyes, expecting to find himself in some crappy motel room, god knows where. He looked around the cozy furnishings and out the window, seeing a sunny morning weaving its way through the trees and his brother sprawled out on the bed next to his. He got up and moved out into the hall and down the stairs, memories of last night fading back with each step. As he came down the stairs and into the living room, he glanced at the couch, seeing Denzel leaning against it with a blanket draped over him. He smelled bacon and maple syrup wafting from the kitchen and peered in through the doorway, seeing Lilium with her hair pulled back, making pancakes and bacon. He stepped in as she was turning to empty a skillet of bacon onto a plate. She looked up and smiled at him.

"Good morning," she chimed, turning back to the stove, "I take it you slept well?"

"Very, thanks," he replied, taking a seat at the table, which was set with light blue plates and silverware. "Smells good."

She laughed, "Well, I'm no Gordon Ramsey, but it's the least I can do for you guys after last night. Help yourself, before Den wakes up. He eats enough for five!" She turned back towards him and placed a fresh pancake on his plate. The smell alone was mouth-watering.

"That makes two of us, I'm starving," Dean stated from the doorway. He made his way to the table and sat next to Sam, grabbing a handful of bacon and dropping it on his plate before chowing down. Denzel came in soon after and sat across from Sam. Lilium quickly placed a mug of coffee in front of him.

"Black, one sugar, fresh brewed," she stated as she poured two more cups. "How do you two like yours?"

"Dash of both for me," Dean said, forking a pancake onto his plate. Sam nodded at her and she placed the two mugs between them. Denzel took a sip from his mug and grabbed a piece of bacon.

"She spent two months working at a diner in Belgrade and a month and a half working in a bar in Bozeman," he stated quietly. "She knows her way around a kitchen and never screws up an order."

"Yeah, but if I were to start taking orders from you, you'd be eating your own teeth," she said as she took the last seat across from Dean. They all ate quietly and Denzel stayed in the kitchen to wash dishes while Sam, Dean, and Lilium moved into the living room. She glanced at the couch.

"Great, now we need to burn the couch," she said, scratching at the enormous bloodstain on one of the seat cushions. She huffed before sitting on one of the cleaner cushions and stretching her arms above her head. Dean took a seat in a matching recliner while Sam sat in the chair he'd pulled up the night before.

"So, how's your arm doing?" Sam asked. She shrugged.

"Hurts like hell, but it's nothing I can't handle," she said. "Thanks for patching me up, though. I'm sure Den's gonna beat himself up about it until the scars fade."

"Yeah, he wasn't taking it well last night either," Dean stated. "How'd this all start anyway? What's your side of the story?"

"Not much from my end," she said. "Den could tell you more. I just hid upstairs and cowered like a child."

"You were a child," Denzel said as he came in from the kitchen and leaned against the back of the couch over her head. "There was nothing you could do at the time, so just let it go." Lilium sat still for a minute before jumping up and snatching the first aid kit from the side table where it had been left and leaving the room.

"I don't think she's let go," Dean stated as he heard a door slam down the hall. Denzel sighed and took her seat on the couch.

"It's her way of dealing with her parent's deaths. She blames herself for not protecting them that night," he rubbed his forehead. "She just needs some time to cool off, a few minutes at most. The bandages were probably a good distraction." The three chatted some more, unaware of a set of terrible events that would soon unfold because of a conversation happening just two doors down.

…

Lilium could feel the beginnings of tears as she pressed her back against the bathroom door. She closed her eyes and pushed away the dull ache that pounded in time with her empty heart. She sat on the toilet seat and began to unwrap the bandages on her arm. The coloration was much more natural now that the poison had gone, but the skin was still bruised and sore. She counted out the stitches running in a sloping arch from her wrist to just below her elbow before wrapping the new bandages on. She stood and turned to face the mirror over the sink, jumping when she saw her form was not the only one pictured. She whirled around and leaned back on the sink as she stared up at the face that had haunted countless nightmares and chased her every sense of safety away. He was taller than she remembered, but that was probably due to the fact he had held her by her neck at eye level. His pale skin was more pronounced against the black of his trench coat and the cardinal red of the button up he wore underneath. His eyes seemed to suck all of the life out of her, leaving her a quivering husk.

"Don't be like that!" he said, his smooth voice kept barely above a whisper as he bent towards her. "That's no way to greet an old friend."

"L-last time I-I checked… f-friends don't try t-to kill each other," she stammered as she started to scoot towards the door.

"Ah ah ah~," he tutted, moving to step between her and her escape. "You'll find I've changed much since our unfortunate introduction. I was rushed at the moment, but now I can speak to you formally like a gentleman should." She quickly moved away from him until her back was pressed into the adjacent wall. He continued, "I've merely come to offer you a choice. Call it a chance to undo what has been broken in the past."

"What has been broken?" she asked. "You mean… You can bring back my parents?"

"Oh, sweet innocent girl," he chuckled. "I can't do that. They were cursed by someone who dearly hated them. Their curse destroyed their souls. There is no bringing them back." Lilium looked at the floor, the pain in her heart welling up until a single tear slipped down her cheek. He stepped forward and brushed it away, leaving his hand to caress her face. "Now, now, my dear. Please don't be like that. You could still save all of the others."

She sniffed and brushed away his hand before looking up. "Others?"

"Yes," he said, kneeling down. "All of those innocents my pets had mistaken for you. All of the other young souls that were taken because of your mistakes. I can return them."

"What's the catch?" Lilium asked, looking at him. She was still shaking like a candle flame buffeted by a gentle breeze.

"No catch. All I want is for you to come with me. I'll take you to my home, take care of you, keep you safe. And in return, all of those pretty little girls' souls will be set free," he looked at her. She couldn't see anything in his deep eyes that would suggest a lie. He stood and turned away from her, pulling something out of his coat pocket as he said, "I know it's a big decision. You'd be leaving your life on the road, your demon pet, everything, so I'll let you have as much time as you'd like to think about it." He placed the object on the sink, next to the bandages and, with a gentle smile and a glance over his shoulder, faded from her presence, leaving nothing but a few red rose petals and the smell of sulfur behind. She sat with her back against the wall, her legs unable to hold her anymore. She gazed at what he'd left, a shiny red apple that was unblemished and round. When she trusted herself to stand she moved and quickly changed the bandages on her stomach. She returned the first aid kit under the sink and stared at the apple again before grabbing it and holding it with both hands. A knock on the door jolted her from her thoughts.

"Lilium?" Denzel called out. "You alright in there?"

"Y-yeah," she replied, "I'll be out in a minute!" She stowed the apple in the vanity mirror and dumped the used bandages in the trash before opening the door, finding Den standing just outside.

"You okay?" He asked, looking at her. She merely nodded and kept her eyes trained on the floor. He stepped forward and gently hugged her, mumbling an apology. She shook her head and weakly hugged back, thinking about the apple that was hidden only a few feet away.

…

Later that evening, the four left the cabin in the woods and began the hike back home. They were all mostly silent, and Lilium lagged behind the main group. Denzel felt something was wrong, but didn't have the heart to bring it up at the moment. She had been through so much in such a short time, so she had every right to feel a little off. Nearly an hour into their hike they stopped for rest. Denzel watched as Lilium sat on a large rock and stared down. Sam came up to him.

"Are you sure she's okay?" he asked sitting next to Denzel. "She's been acting strange since after breakfast."

"I don't know," Denzel replied. "Maybe I struck a nerve I shouldn't have." They were soon up and moving again, but didn't get back to the motel until well after dark. Denzel thanked Sam and Dean once again for helping Lilium and the groups parted ways. Later that night, Lilium sat alone in the motel room, holding the apple in both hands. Denzel had gone out, probably to get food, and wouldn't be back for some time, so she had taken the apple out of her bag where she'd hidden it before leaving the cabin. Crossing her legs, she gazed at the shiny red surface which reflected her blank face back at her.

If she chose the dark man's offer, she would bring back the souls of the girls who had been killed. She would live with her parent's murderer without knowing what would happen to her. If she didn't, she'd stay with Denzel, where she's been safe for the last year, but the guilt of all of those murdered girls would rest on her shoulders and get heavier until it crushed her. She sighed, rolling the fruit over in her palms as she made her decision. She stood and closed her eyes as she slowly raised the apple to her lips. She could taste its sweetness as a crunch resounded around the room. As soon as she swallowed, she felt herself falling to the floor. She saw the bottom of a black trench coat as her vision faded. The last thing she heard was the door opening and the sound of a plastic bag of food crashing to the floor.

…

Denzel dropped the bag of take-out he held at the sight. Lilium lay on the floor as if she'd collapsed, a red apple rolling from her limp hand. Over her knelt the man whom he'd protected her from for the last year, trench coat and void eyes still as black as a pool of ink. The man turned towards Denzel as he lifted Lilium off of the ground, cradling her against him and smiling. Denzel felt inexplicable rage welling up inside him, covering any fear he might have felt had Lilium not been involved.

"You bastard, don't touch her!" he yelled as he threw himself at the man, only to be thrown back by a demonic force which now held him pinned against the wall next to the door.

"My, my, my," the man said as he walked towards Denzel. "Is this the same demon that stabbed me that night? Denzel, was it? The past year has been hard on you, my friend."

"Don't call me 'friend' you black-eyed son of a bitch!" Denzel spat, struggling to lash out.

"Don't be like that!" the demon said. "I was only finishing a job. This youngling wasn't part of the package, but what demon would pass up a chance to have a soul like this." He shifted Lilium in his arms. "Surrounded by death and hate, yet still so pure and kind. Even the King of Hell himself would kill for a soul like hers to call his own. She's a lilim in a field of black roses."

"Don't get all poetic with me!" Denzel said, pushing against the wall. "Leave her alone!"

"Oh, but she's the one who called me," the man said, glancing at Den as he turned and walked back to where Lilium had fallen. "You see, while you were at the cabin in the woods, I came to her with a proposition. She chose her answer, so now she's mine." The man faced Denzel again, smiling wickedly as he began to evaporate. "I do hope you find us. It'll be nice to have visitors after she's all healed up." And he was gone, leaving nothing but a few red rose petals and some sulfur behind. Denzel fell from his place on the wall. He quickly stood and pulled out his cell phone, dialing the number Dean had given him in case something were to happen. It rang twice before Sam answered.

"Sam? He took her," Denzel said, panicked. "The demon that killed Lilium's parents took her! She's gone!"

So Lilium's been taken by the mystery demon, Denzel's flipping out and the Winchesters are about to help get her back. Hope you all can forgive me for waiting so long to post this chapter, I had to "socialize" with people this weekend. DX

Anyways, hoping to get the next chapter done and posted later today, tomorrow at the latest. Thanks to all of the people who are reading past the first chapter, it really gives motivation to see so many different people reading something I made. Special thanks to MishaWinchester for being my main motivator in writing this, go check out their profile! So yeah, give me some feedback on my writing, flames will be used to roast souls, and make sure to give me a review if you think it might help out with the story! X3


	8. Regroup

Holy shit, I haven't updated in ages! DX

Okay, not entirely true, but I'm still sorry guys! I know I promised to update like, a week ago but I've been dealing with people (ie my family) and had to get over the bagelpocalypse that happened on Tumblr. I'm really sorry for the lack of updates and I hope you guys can forgive me~!

For a quick recap: Sam, Dean, Den, and Lilium have gone their separate ways, but Lilium feels bad about all of the murdered girls so she makes a deal with the demon that killed her parents. That doesn't go over well with Denzel and he kinda freaks out when the black-eyed demon from his nightmares shows up to take Lilium away. Now, he's sitting in Sam and Dean's motel room after telling them exactly what happened.

(Please remember to give me a review and maybe even like/favorite the story~! 3)

Denzel sat at the kitchenette table in some shitty motel room with the Winchesters standing around, hopefully coming up with an idea that would help him get Lilium back. Lilium… He had become extremely worried about her in the agonizingly long hour she had been missing. Missing was a bad word for it, more like kidnapped. Taken by the void-eyed bastard that had taken the lives of her parents a little over a year ago. If he so much as hurts her in any way…

"I guess it kinda makes sense now," Sam says from the nearest motel bed where he sat. "She was acting really strange after we left, so maybe the demon approached her with an offer while she was alone. He offers her a deal, something that she would give up the closest thing she has to a family for, and gives her time to think about it." Dean pipes up from across the table from Denzel. "Yeah, but what could he possibly offer her? Maybe he said he would bring back her parents?"

Denzel shook his head. "No, she's too smart to fall for that. She's accepted her parent's deaths and knows there's no bringing them back. However, if another human life was involved, she would have given very careful consideration to her choice. She's a bleeding heart, so it's hard for her to consider choosing something for herself over another life." They sat quietly in thought for a moment before Sam shot up and grabbed his laptop, turning it on and clicking through several pages before setting it on the table in front of Denzel and Dean, the screen presenting ten girls who could have passed as Lilium's sisters.

"How about ten human lives that she might feel guilt for ending?" he asks. "Those things that came after you guys that night killed all of these girls, and the places of each disappearance correspond to your location at the time." Denzel thought it over for a second before nodding.

"Lilium felt awful when she heard about the disappearances, and moped for days after the first few. She would've definitely given up her life if it meant those girls could be saved." They all sat for another long moment. Dean finally stood up and grabbed the duffel bag which sat on the couch and clattered when it shifted. Denzel could tell it was full of guns and various other demon-hunting gear.

"If we're going to find her," he said with an air of certainty, "we'll need to find the demon. Any idea where this guy would hole up?" He looked at Denzel. Denzel stared blankly at him for a moment before answering.

"I have no clue, but my best guess is someplace fancy with a sort of garden. Every time I've encountered him, he leaves red rose petals behind," he said, trying desperately to remember anything useful. "He's pretty strong, but still not as powerful as most demons tend to be, so he can only go so far. If I had to guess, he'd be in some expensive, secluded place in Montana."

Sam sighed. "That narrows it down some, but not much. There's a lot of fancy real estate in Montana and anyone of them could have a garden with roses in it." He began clicking through several webpages until he groaned in frustration. "My computer froze!"

Den moved so he could see the screen and watched as Sam tried to fix the computer. The cursor moved across the screen and began minimizing the windows that had been opened until the desktop was visible. "Sam, your computer's fine. It's been hacked," he said as a blank document opened itself and began filling with a few lines of text.

_I don't have much time, so I'll make it quick. My name is Heather Falkens, and I know what happened to Lilium. She's with the black-eyed man at Inspiration Drive in Whitefish, Montana. You need to hurry!_

The guys all stared at the text on the screen before looking at one another. Dean said, "Well, now we know where she is."

"Heather Falkins," Sam muttered, finally able to use his computer and pulling up a list of victims from the recent murders and pointing to one of the girls. "She was one of the victims. But I thought Lilium traded her soul for all of the victims' souls to be released?"

Denzel gripped his hands into tight fists under the table. "They were released, just not brought back to their bodies."

Dean opened the motel door, "Well, we'd better pack up and head out. Whitefish Montana is about a four hour drive from here."

…

Lilium woke up cradled against a mass of soft pillows and underneath three or more layers of blankets. She felt sluggish, like she had been asleep for a year. Her vision was blurred into masses of shaded colors as she opened her eyes. She sat up and rubbed her eyes before looking around the room she was in. To her left was a door that was slightly open, revealing a natural-tiled bathroom. The left wall was dominated by two glass doors that opened outward into a small courtyard, two other windows showing the same darkened view of the moonlit stone and iron fence. She could see several white rose bushes in full bloom around the edges of the tiny court. In front of her was two more windows that gave the impression of a set of giant, star-filled eyes, a small mahogany dresser sitting where the bridge of a nose would begin. To her right was a double set of armoires set into the wall on either side of a fireplace that was unlit. A small hallway led to a closed door that presumably led to the rest of the house. The bed she was in was king sized and covered in crimson sheets and two white comforters, all resting between the dark wood of the head and foot boards. She got out of the bed, glad she was in the same shorts and blue tee shirt she had put on last she checked, and headed out of the room. From her doorway, she could see she was on a walkway that served as the access to the room across from hers and a stairway that went down to the room below. She peered over the rail.

The entire wall across from her was framed glass, save for two old-fashioned lamps that were lit. Against the left wall was a large fireplace that was currently lit, casting shadows against the adjacent wall. Two black leather couches and a large mahogany coffee table decorated the room below, and a lone person sat with his back to her, an open book in his hands. She recognized the long black hair tied back by a red ribbon, the pale skin of his hands and the red collar of his shirt. She involuntarily began to tremble, her fear telling her to escape but her logic telling her she couldn't. She had made a deal with him, and she remembered her mother saying, "A deal is like a promise, and a Nyx never breaks their promises."

She stood there quietly for several minutes before being shocked out of her trance by his smooth voice. "You can come down here. I promise I won't bite," he said as he looked over his shoulder at her. She jolted and stood for another minute before turning and making her way down the staircase. She passed an ancient grandfather clock on her way down which read 2:48. She noted the wooden door that led outside, resting under a relatively tall archway that was mostly wood. She walked into the lounge and passed the man, taking a seat on the couch across the table from him. He smiled gently at her as he closed his book and set it next to him. He had abandoned his trench coat and dress shoes at some point, leaving him in his red button up shirt and dress pants. He scanned her briefly before saying anything.

"Sleep well?" he asked, keeping his void-like eyes trained on her silver ones. She felt like she was made of cold clay as she stiffly nodded. "That's good. I suppose I should formally introduce myself. My name is Amadeus." He seemed sincere, but Lilium knew better. Her first glance into those empty eyes had revealed nothing but pure, cold evil that had pierced through her like a jagged shard of cold metal and had woken her, screaming in the dead of night for months. She remained quiet as his smile never wavered. "Come now, we're family! You can't hate me forever."

"You're not my family," she finally said, a mixture of anger and repulsion seething within her. "Family wouldn't kill my parents and tear me away from the only person I had ever trusted." Her voice started rising until she was nearly screaming. "Family wouldn't murder ten innocent people! ALL FOR THE SAKE OF FINDING ME!" He was in front of her in a moment, one hand pressed against the couch next to her head, the other gripping her upper arm and his face inches from hers, his black eyes level and frightening at such close range.

"You forget," he whispered as he leaned over her and she pressed herself into the soft leather behind her, "That I only gave you an option. You are the one who chose the souls of all those girls against staying with your little pet. I only presented the option to you." Stepped back and straightened himself out before continuing. "And your parents were only a job. I had no choice in the matter. Personally, I would have let them live, but the person who had summoned me wanted them dead, very desperately might I add." She was trembling harder now, even though she hated herself for it. He looked at her and sighed, sitting down next to her and facing her, his face a mask of concern and sympathy as he wrapped his thin arms around her shoulders and pulled her against him. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I shouldn't have acted so harshly. It's only natural that you'd be upset after such a traumatic experience." She didn't say anything, just leaned against him as he tried to console her. She was disgusted with herself for being so weak, but there was nothing she could do now. He gently pulled away from her and placed his hands on her shoulders, making her face him. She looked up and saw something glimmer in the blankness of his eyes. He was smiling gently at her. She looked closer at his eyes, feeling a certain kind of peace that she had never felt before. She became vaguely aware of a buzzing at the base of her skull as her limbs began to slowly grow numb. She wanted to move, to look away, but she felt herself smile. Her entire body was numb now, and she could only watch as her body moved on its own, as it stood and waved at Amadeus before turning and heading back to her room, as it called out "goodnight" and closed the door before changing into a pair of black yoga pants and a red tee shirt and crawling under the covers of the bed she had awoken in. She had become a puppet, trapped in her own body.

…

Amadeus watched as Lilium sat perplexed in front of him. He smiled gently as her eyes began to fade from their moonlight hue to a deep crimson red. She soon smiled and waved at him before heading back to her room, calling out "goodnight" as she closed her door. He now had nearly full control of her.

He reclined back into the couch, running his hand through his hair. If everything went according to his plan, the two of them would live like a father and a daughter, never aging and happy. He remembered his daughter, so young and curious and full of life despite being a demon. She had brought happiness to even the darkest of his days, until she had been exorcised and sent back to the depths of Hell. He closed his eyes as he remembered that night he had first met Lilium…

_He climbed the stairs, leaving the Nyx couple to die and their pet to eventually disappear. He has heard a set of footsteps running around when he'd entered, a young child judging by the speed and pace. He found himself in a hallway that ran the length of the house. He easily found the child, who had hopelessly locked the door in an attempt to stop him. As he entered the room, he saw a small figure launch itself at him from the corner. He easily grabbed the child and pinned her against the farthest wall, causing her to scream out in pain and terror. She was shaking in his firm grasp, her thin neck so easy to break beneath his pale fingers. But he stopped and stared at her eyes. Her eyes glistened with the beginnings of tears, which only made her silvery irises stand out even more. He recalled his summoner mentioning that the Nyx couple had a child named Lilium, after the mythical white rose that only bloomed at night. Now he could see within the depths of this child's eyes a similar mythic quality that surrounded the lore of the Lilium. He couldn't kill this child. Instead, he felt a strong desire to keep her, to hide her away and watch as she bloomed into a graceful youth. He slowly pulled his onyx dagger from his pocket and pressed it to the girl's palm, recoiling slightly when she screamed again. He was about to cut his own hand when a sharp pain embedded itself in his lower back. He groaned and turned, eyeing the demon who had tried to protect Rose Nyx and dropping the girl, who crawled away. He reached behind him and pulled something, another dagger, out of his back. He dropped the blade before straightening his coat._

"_It looks like that bitch gave you a name. Well, I guess that means one of her demands was to protect her filthy daughter then, was it? Oh well, you can try to keep her safe, but she is only a mere human. It won't take long for my pets to find her scent and track her down. Until then," he grinned wickedly. "I'll be watching." He disappeared then, shifting to a place just outside the cabin. He watched from the shadows as Lilium and the demon, who she called Denzel, burned her parent's corpses. He wanted nothing more than to wipe away the tears that had fallen from her eyes. He kept watching as Denzel had carried her, too tired and drained to walk, away from the cabin. His pets had crouched next to him, hissing and waiting for their command to kill both the girl and the demon. The command never came…_

Amadeus opened his eyes again and he rose from his spot on the couch. He climbed the stairs and quietly opened the door to Lilium's room. She was sleeping peacefully, nestled into the pillows and blankets in the middle of the large bed. He sat on the edge of the bed and leaned over her, planting a small kiss on her forehead. Yes, he would protect her. He would protect Lilium Nyx, his White Rose of the Night.


	9. Author's Note

Hey everybody, Author-chan again! Sorry for the lack of updates, I've been busy and have had writer's block for this story. Don't worry, I'm holding Plot Pet auditions so hopefully I'll update soon. Please be patient!

I'm writing more fanfics so please check them out, give them a review (it seriously helps to know what you guys think), and shout out to MishaWinchester, CielPhantomhive630, Lucypup12, Sharllissa, angelgirl1669, kinkymistress87, and tenamorette (my first seven followers). Again, sorry for the delay and please be patient for the next update. Thanks for reading!


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